Tarot Reading for the UK 2025

This is a reading that I did on New Year's day 01 January 2025.

The idea for this reading came from a YouTube video from Marilyn at Tarot Clarity

I have used what she calls her signature spread. Nine cards then a quintessential for each row plus one for the whole spread. (The quint cards are a result of adding the numerical value of the cards, excluding the court cards as they do not have a number.)

I asked what we, as ordinary citizens, should be aware of regarding the state of the UK in 2025.

1st row 10 of Swords, 10 of Coins, The Pope

2nd row 4 of Swords, 3 of Coins, Female Pope

3rd row is The Empress, 10 of Batons, The Fool

Quint cards are The Empress, Fortitude, Death. Overall quint card is The Pope.

The first thing that came to my attention were the three 10s, suggesting situations reaching a climax, and the fact that both the Empress and the Pope appear in the reading and in the quint cards.

Looking at The Pope as the quint of the whole reading is somewhat confusing. Yes, he speaks of power, a masculine energy, but if this refers to either government or crown, then I would expect to see the Emperor. This has to be connected to religion, dogma, traditional beliefs?

The opening card is 10 of swords, a crisis point, anger, frustration as the crossed swords indicate a clash, with no obvious winner. It’s next to the 10 of Coins, so a threat to our finances, our health, our well-being. People reaching the end of their tether. A potentially dangerous time with civil unrest. The third card is The Pope. The Church involved in more controversy? Religion another trigger for trouble? The quint for that is the Empress. A clash between church and state? Though why the Empress and not the Emperor, as here in the UK at this present time, state, church and crown all have a male in charge? Who is this powerful woman clashing with the church and/or tradition?

Second row shows a lull in the extreme and tense atmosphere of the first row. Four of swords, 3 of Coins, The Female Pope. The quint card is another female figure, Fortitude. This row speaks of the nurturing of an idea, perhaps an antidote to the antagonism, a tentative improvement in the state of the country, all due to a benign but strong feminine influence. The person indicated by the Female Pope is not the same woman as the Empress. This is a deeper, more intense figure, knowledgeable and possibly quietly working behind the scenes. The quint card is Fortitude expressing the need to control tempers, but to stand firm and stick to your principles. It’s mainly feminine energy in this row, so if this is not a woman coming to power, then a need for a much less traditionally aggressive masculine approach. I’m using “masculine” and “feminine” in a gender stereotypical sense, and obviously women can be aggressive and men pacifist.

The final row shows the Empress facing a complete block, a barrier formed by the 10 of Batons. It seems to dwarf her. Perhaps the Empress is Britannia? A metaphor for the country? It looks like crunch time. A make-or-break situation. Followed by the Fool. It’s easy to surmise that we’re all being taken for fools or that the UK will appear foolish to the rest of the world. On a more positive note, it could mean a fresh start, a return to basics, a simplification of our lives. Less stuff and more meaning. The Fool travels lightly, he isn’t weighed down with material goods. He takes with him only what he needs to survive. The quint card is card 13, not named in the TdM, but commonly called Death. Death’s stance echoes The Fool. In fact it could be the Fool, stripped of the little he has. That sounds ominous. Perhaps there is more austerity coming our way as a country. I like the sound of the fresh start, being less materially conscious, a return to old-fashioned traditional values.

Perhaps that’s what The Pope stands for? That’s the benign interpretation. However, he can also indicate strict adherence to rules, dogma, religious and secular oppression, so this is certainly one to watch. Both he and the Empress appear twice. In the 9-card reading and in the quintessential cards, so that has to be significant. I’m quite taken with the idea that the Empress is Britannia, so is it that the UK is facing a crisis, with traditional values and beliefs in turmoil, and is perhaps in danger of losing the freedoms that we all take for granted? There’s something else significant in this spread. The absence of one particular suit. There are no Cups cards. A lack of emotion, a lack of compassion seems prevalent. Another warning for us. Without compassion and care for each other, a society heads down a dangerous road.

Cards shown are the Mamanmiyuki Tarot and the Yves Reynaud Tarot de Marseille Pierre Madenie